Western Wall: Yesterday and Today

What we see today is only a small portion of the actual Wall.

The Western Wall was built as a retaining wall to support the western side of the Temple Mount. It stretches some 200 meters ― the length of the Temple Mount (to the left as you look at the Wall). Most of it is obscured behind the structures of the Muslim Quarter.

From the onset of the Middle Ages, the area in front of the Wall had been used as a garbage dump. (That is why the gate nearby the Wall is called "Dung Gate.") In the 16th century, the Sultan Suleiman discovered the location of the Wall and had the area cleaned out.

In the early 20th century, Arab homes had been built up to 15 feet from the Wall, leaving just a narrow alleyway ― a space of about fifteen feet in front of the Wall ― for Jews to come and pray.

Following the Israeli War of Independence in 1948, the armistice line between Israel and Jordan ran through the middle of the city, dividing Jerusalem. Jordan occupied the Old City, including the Temple Mount, the Jewish Quarter, and the Western Wall. The Jewish population of the Old City was forced out of the area, all the synagogues in the Old City were destroyed ― and Jews were forbidden by Jordanian law to visit the Western Wall.

On June 7, 1967 ― the third day of the Six-Day War ― Israeli forces recaptured the Old City of Jerusalem, including the Western Wall. (Read two emotional accounts of Israeli paratroopers who liberated the Wall.)

During the war, most of the residents of the Magreb Quarter (the buildings in front of the Wall) had left the area when Israeli forces began to surround the Old City on the first day of the war. Those who were left were relocated by the Israeli government to a new community. The buildings were then removed, enabling construction of the large Western Wall Plaza which accommodates thousands of visitors to the Wall daily.

The Western Wall Tunnels

Beneath the Muslim Quarter, archeologists have spent the last decade digging deeper and farther to discover the true extent of the Western Wall. It has been found that the Wall is more than 200 meters long and stretches down to the bedrock of the Temple Mount. Within the past few years, it has become possible to travel through the "Western Wall Tunnels," the archeological excavation which runs underneath the Muslim Quarter along the entire length of the Temple Mount.

The entrance to these tunnels is off the left side of the Western Wall Plaza, about halfway between the Wall itself and the stairs leading up to the Jewish Quarter. These tunnels exit onto the Via Dolorossa at the north end of the Temple Mount.

The Western Wall is constructed of limestone. The edges of the stones are etched to form a border around each one. This design is typical of Herod, the Roman-appointed king of Judea (circa first century BCE) who built the wall as a retaining wall for the Temple Mount. As you look farther up the wall, the stones get smaller. This is because the wall was originally not as tall as it is now, but was added to over the centuries. The base of the wall is actually about twenty feet below the current floor of the prayer area.

One of the stones in the Wall measures more than 40 feet long, and weighs 400 tons. This is the largest stone ever quarried by man ― nothing near its size exists in Greece, in the pyramids, or in Manhattan. No crane today can even lift such a stone. How it got there is an engineering marvel. Others stones are over 100 tons. These stones can be viewed in the archeological tunnels that have been opened in the past few years.

Many people have the custom of placing small pieces of paper containing prayers between the stones of the Wall. Jewish tradition teaches that the Temple Mount is the holiest site on Earth, and that the presence of God constantly rests on this site. Jewish mystical tradition teaches that all prayers from around the world ascend to the Wall, from where they then ascend to heaven.

Flora and Fauna

There are a number of species of plants growing out of the stones in the Wall:

1. Henbane. This is the most common plant in the Wall. The Hebrew name for this plant is Shikaron, which is a form of the word for drunkenness. The name is possibly derived from the poisonous, intoxicating substance contained in the plant.

2. Podosnoma. This is the second most common plant in the Wall. It is a typical rock plant, and is able to penetrate stone with its roots in order to extract water.

3. Sicialian Snapdragon. These plants are found mostly on the higher sections of the Wall. It often takes root in cracks between the stones of a wall, and on fences.

4. Horsetail Knotgrass. The Talmud (Shabbos 14:13) mentions that an antidote for snake bite was prepared from this plant.

5. Thorny Caper. This plant produces flower buds that were used in ancient times as a spice after marination. In the summer, buds open every day to produce flowers and fruits.

6. Phagnalon. This smaller plant is found scattered throughout the Wall.

Birds, such as swallows, sparrows, and doves, as well as small lizards, have been known to nest in the cracks and between the stones of the Wall.

based on "The Western Wall," published by the Israeli Ministry of Defense

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About the Author

Rabbi Shraga Simmons spent his childhood trekking through snow in Buffalo, New York. He holds a degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and rabbinic ordination from the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He is the co-founder of Aish.com, and founder of JewishPathways.com. He is also the founding editor of HonestReporting.com, and author of "David & Goliath" (2012), the definitive treatment of media bias against Israel. He lives with his wife and children in the Modi'in region of Israel.

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

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